Brisbane to host bird flu talks

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International health experts and disaster management
coordinators will discuss the threat of bird flu at an Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Brisbane next week.

The two day Avian and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and
Response meeting is expected to work out how APEC's 21 member
economies - including Australia, Indonesia, the US, Japan and
Malaysia - can cooperate in a regional response to bird flu.

Issues including border closures, antiviral drugs and how to
maintain essential services during an outbreak are expected to be
discussed at the meeting, which begins on Monday.

The bird flu virus has killed more than 60 people in Asia since
late 2003.

Experts fear a pandemic that could kill millions across the
globe if H5N1 acquires genetic material from a human influenza
virus and becomes easily transmittable from one human being to
another.

The Prime Minister, John Howard, says Australia is better
prepared than probably any other country in the world to deal with
any outbreak of avian influenza.

"We have allocated more than $170 million over four years to
stockpile anti-viral medicines, boost funding on research, develop
possible vaccines, fund border protection measures and provide
educational material," said.

"And we have tightened our already strict quarantine
measures.

"More money will be made available if necessary, but a critical
element in any plan to prevent an outbreak, and deal with one if it
occurs, is cooperation between countries and between agencies."